Hydraulic machine



Aug. -12 1924. 1,504,746

G. F. DE WEIN HYDRAULIC MACHINE Filed Marc Patented Aug.- 12, 1924.

UNITED s'rArss 1,504,746. PATENT-I oFFic-s.

oneness. ma WEIR, oir MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN. assumes no anus-calmnessilmrac'ruame coxrmx, or, MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, a conrom'rron orDELAWARE.

HYDRAULIC CHINE.

Application filed Inch :7, 192:. Serial n. 547,142.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that GEORGE F. DE Wnm, a citizen of the United States,residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State ofWisconsin, has invented a certain new and useful Improvement inHydraulic Machines, of which the following is a specification. 1

v This invention relates in general to im-- srovements in the art of"converting hycal y raulic energy, and relates more speci to an improvedmethod of and apiparatus for utilizing the energy of water un er head byconverting such energy into torque in a rotating shaft with the aid of arotor.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved method of utilizingthe energy .of water under head. Another object of the invention is toprovide simple and ellicient ap aratus for exploiting the method.

It has en found that the energy of water under head may be efiectivelconverted into torque in a rotating shaft, y producin a whirling streamof water and passing, t is whirling stream through a suitablerunnerassociated with the shaft. It has also been found that mostefiioient conversion of the energy is effected when the whirling streamadvances axially with the flow threads severa-11y at constant distancesfrom an axis,

and is permitted while thus advancing to cooperate with a purely axialflow type of runner, that is, a runner in which the flow into and fromthe vanes has purely axial advancement not considering its whirlingmotion. Such hydraulic turbine installations are ca able of utilizingthe energy of large quantities of water under relatively low head andare adapted to produce relatively high specific or characteristicspeeds. The present invention relates to hydraulic turbine installationsof this eneral type and has for its object the provision of means formore efficiently conducting a whirling stream of water to and from ahydraulic rotor. With a structure embodying the present'invention, thestream ofwater' admitted to the rotor is prevented from whirling untilit assumes an axial direction of advancement', thereby eliminatingretardation of the inflow due to centrifugal force, and enablingadmission of maximum quantities of water. The centrifugal force actingupon the water at the rotor discharge is utilized for pur oses ofdeceleration, thereby producing an installation of maximum eificiency.

A clear conception of the novel method of converting the energy of waterunder head and of the structure forcarrying such method into effect, maybehad by referringto the drawing accompanying and forming a part of thisspecification in which like reference characters designate the same orsimilar parts in the several views.

i Fig. 1 is a transverse vertical section through a hydraulic turbineinstallation showing the improved apparatus for converting the energy ofwater under head.

Fig. 2 is a transverse horizontal section through the installationillustrated in Fi 1, the section being taken through the w irlpreventing inlet guide vanes.

With the improved method of converting the energy of water under head,the water is caused to flow inwardly from all sides toward an axis, withradial components only. The direction of flow'of the water is thenchanged from radial to axial. The axially delivered from the im eller ispermitted tov flow outwardly away rom the turbine axis immediately afterleaving the rotor and has .the balance of its whirl and velocity energyabsorbed by virtue of expansion or enlargement of the cross-section ofthe discharge conduit.

Referring Epecifically to the drawing, the

urely axialow high-speed turbine rotor 2 is secured to a rotary shaft 3and is located in a conduit formed coaxial with and extending along theshaft 3. Helical stationa guide vanes 7 gradually changing from bigpitch at inlet to low pitch at discharge ed e are located in the axialflow conduit in a vance of the rotor 2 and are spaced from therotor'vanes a suificient distance to provide a vane-free transitionspace 8 between the vanes 7 and the inlet side of the rotor 2. The upperturbine casing 10 forms an inwardly extending annular conduitcommunicating with the axially directed rotor housing conduit, and isprovided with an annular series of stationary radial vanes 5 whichpermits the whirling mass of water to unite s an the turbine inlet.Between the disc arge edges of the radial vanes 5 and the inlet edges ofthe helical vanes'f, is a vanefree transition space 6 wherein the fiowof the water ischanged from radial'inward to axia a 'The discharge sideof the turbine rotor 2 communicates with a vane-free directionchan intransition s ace 9 which in turn g g P commumcates with an annulardifiuser chamber 14. The chambers 9, 14 are bounded by upper and lowerwalls 11, 12 which are so spaced that the velocity of the water flowingfrom the rotor 2, is gradually decelerated. The-turbine casin elementsma be secured to a suitable foun ation 13 as i lustrated.

During normal operation of the unit, the water is admitted to the spacesbetween the stationary radial guide vanes 5 in a directlon toward theaxis of the turbine shaft 3.

While -passing the guide vanesv 5 and through the transition space 6 thecourse of the water is chan ed from radial to axial and the water is amitted to the inlet edges of the stationary. helical vanes 7 as antically no whir ng motion.

axially advancing solid stream having praci In assing through the spacesbetween the helica vanes 7 the stream of water is caused to whirl and isdelivered from, the discharge ed s ofthese vanes in the form of anaxialy advancing solid whirling stream as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1.The axially advancing' whirling stream of water in passs ing through theaxial flow rotor 2 has a portion of its ener converted into. torque inthe rotatingsha t 3 and therotor 2 is caused to rotate at-a'relativelyhigh speed. The water delivered from theimpeller 2 retains considerableof its energy and isdeflected inthe chamber 9 and caused to flowoutwardly away from the turbine axis and through the v diffusing chamber151 the remalning whirl and veloc- -ity energy of water is convertedinto presto retard entry of the water,

sure energy, thefinal pressure being substantially atmospheric. Theregulation of the quantityof water admitted ,may be effected by means ofa gate located in-the inlet -flume either directly 1n advance of thevanes 5 or remote therefrom. v 4 It will thus be noted that thestationary radial guide vanes .5 positively prevent whirling of thefluid and that whirling is 1 subse uently eflected by the stationary Ihelica guide vanes 7 located immediately on -plication, S.

' ters Patent:

chamber 14. In the and enter the runner 2 without shock. The

outwardly extendin difiuser chamber 14 directly ad acent to t a runnerdischarge permits most efiicient conversion .of the remaining whirlenergy due to the fact that the whirlin liquid naturally tends to flowoutwardly y centrifugal force. The entire ins'tallation is exceedinglysimple and compact and efiects energy conversion at' maximum efliciencywith minimum losses due to friction and undesirable changes in thedirection of flow. It will be obvious that the principles of the-premntinvention maybe a phedto other types of hydraulic machines t an theaxial flow-turbine hereinillustrated and described.

- The specific hydraulic rotor herein shown and described forms no artof the resent invention bein describe and claim 1917 197,964,- filedOctober 20,

It should be understood thatit is not desired to limit the invention tothe exact details of construction and to the precise steps of theprocess herein shown and described, for various modifications within thescope of the claims may occur to persons skilled m the art.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Let- -1. Themethod of utilizingthe energy of water under head, which consists in directing its flowinwardl toward an axis with components in radia? lanes only, changi thedirection of flow 0111 inward to axiiifi positively causing theadvancing liquid td in apwhirlabout said axis, permittin the liquid eelywhirlto whirl freely and causing the ing liquid to advance alon saidaxis, and directing the whirling liqui against a suitableroton'.

2. The method ofutilizing the ener water under head, which consists ining its flow inwardly components in radia lanes only, ch the direlctionofflozil g1 inwardlto azi positivey causin e a van i ui to whirl aboutsaid axis, a]: liquid to whirl freely and causing the freely whirlingliquid to advance along said axis, abstracting a part of the energy in asuitable rotor, and absorbin the remainin ener by reducing the vel ocityby expan .ing t e cross-section.

3. In combination, means for directin a of recttoward an axis with flowof liquid in radial planes only with respect to an axis, means forcausing the liquid to flow along said axis, means for positively causingthe axially advancing iquid to whirl, means forming a vane free spacefor neceiving the whirling liquid and for conducting said li uid alonsaid axis, and a rotor located in the path 0 the freely whirling axiallyadvancing liquid.

4. In combination, means for'directing a flow of liquid radiallyinwardly toward an axis and for preventing whirling of said radiallyadvancing liquid, means forming a. vane free transition space forchanging the direction of flow of the liquid from inward to axial, meansfor causing the axially advancing liquid to whirl, and a rotor locatedin the path of the whirling axially advancing liquid.

5. In combination, means for directing a flow of liquid inwardly towardan axis and for preventing whirling of said inwardly advancing liquid,means forming a vane free transition space for changing the direction offiow of the liquid from inward toaxial, means for positively causing theaxially advancing liquid to whirl, means forming a vane free space forneceivin the whirling liquid and for causing said llquid to advancealong said axis, and a rotor located in the path of the freely whirlingaxially advancing liquid.

6. In combination, a rotor, means for conducting liquid toward the axisof said rotor and for preventing whirling of the inwardly advancingliquid, means for subsequently conducting the liquid axially toward saidrotor and forv simultaneously positively causing said liquid to whirlabout said axis, and means forming a vane free space for conducting theaxially advancing whirling liquid toward said rotor.

7. In oombination,a rotor through which a vortex of liquid is permittedto advance in an axial direction only, means for conducting liquidtoward the axis of saidrotor with the streamlines of said liquidconfined to radial planes only, means for subsequently conducting theliquid axially toward said rotor and for posltively causing the liquidto whirl around said axis, means forming .a vane free space forconducting the axially advancing whirling liquid against said rotor, andmeans for conducting the liquid away from said rotor axis at thedischarge side of said rotor.

.8. In combination, a rotor through which a vortex of liquid ispermitted to advance in an axial direction only, means for conductingliquid inwardly toward the axis of said rotor and for preventingwhirling of said liquid, means forming a vane free transition space forchangin the flow of said liquid from inward to axial, means forpositively causing the axially advancing liquid to whirl about saidaxis, means forming a vane free s ace for receiving the whirling liquidand or conducting said liquid against said rotor, and means forconducting the liquid away from the axis of said rotor closely adjacentto the rotor discharge.

9. In combination, a rotor, means forming a conduit extending inwardlytoward the axis of said rotor, said conduit having therein a pluralityof vanes 1 ing in radial planes with respect to sai axis, means forminga conduit extending axially of said rotor, said conduit communicatingwith said rotor and having therein helical vanes spaced from the inletside of said rotor, and means forming a vane free transition spaceconnecting said conduits. 1

In testimony whereof, the signature of the inventor is affixed hereto.

G. F. DE WEIN.

